Circular knitting machine



A. R. ELLIS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Oct. 31, 1950 Filed Oct. 23, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 BMW/f Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed 001;. 23, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 o r O C 6 E15 1 n 5.3 217 us I l d 0 NW I I9 mvEflToR' A R-ELLIS Oct. 31, 1950 A. ELLIS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 23, 1947 Va fi m-WW. H-MMWW- INVENTDR A-R-ELLIS NSSH Oct. 31, 1950 ELLls 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR AR-ELUS Z Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS 7 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 l4 Sheets-Sheet 8 -u llllli mvnnon -R-ELL as Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE l4 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Oct. 23, 1947 a n n n a n n n a II II F I H TI H Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE I Filed 001. 25, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOR Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR Ali-ELLIS Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS. 2,527,534

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 23, 1947 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 A INVENTOR All-ELLIS Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 14 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed 001:. 23, 1947 Oct. 31, 1950 A. R. ELLIS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE l4 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Oct. 23, 1947 IN V E N T0 R A-R-ELL\S W gif Patented Oct. 31, 1950 Albert Roy Ellis,

Moncton, New Brunswick,

Canada Application October 23, 1947, Serial No. 781,590

7 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines used in the manufacture of stockings and half-hose.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved knitting machine of the character described which may be used as a fully automatic knitting machine for knitting stockings or halfhose with plain leg portions or may be used as a semi-automatic machine for making diamond patterns, during the knitting of the leg portions.

In the present instance, the improvements provided by the invention will be described as embodied in a known type of knitting machine embodying features set forth in U. S. Patent 570,059, dated October 27, 1896, and U. S. Patent 806,921, dated December 12, 1905.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a knitting machine embodying my invention. a

Fig. 2 is a side view of the opposite side of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the knitting head and clutch assembly.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the main shaft and parts associated therewith.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing component parts of a beltshifting mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the main cam disk and cooperating cam levers.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view showing the mounting of the knitting head and the cam-operated clutch shifting mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the belt-shifting mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a development of the inside of the cam cylinder showing the knitting, narrowing and widening cams.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the throw-in and throw-out cams.

Figs. 11 to 28 inclusive are views showing details of the cam operating mechanism provided for operating the narrowing and widening cams and the throw-in and throw-out cams.

Fig. 29 is an enlarged elevational view of the knitting head assembly.

Fig. 29a is a detail view showing manually operable means for actuating the narrowing and widening cams during pattern knitting.

Fig. 30 is a side elevation of the upper part of the knitting head, and shows a ring guard carrying a needle depressing plate which is used during patterndznitting.

Fig. 31 is a plan view of the ring guard and needle depressing plate shown in Fig. 30.

Fig. 32 is a plan view of the cam cylinder showing a vertically moveable needle raising rib used for lifting certain of the needles out of action during pattern knitting.

Figs. 33 to 36 inclusive are views showing de tails of the main cam disk and its operating mechanism including a pattern chain.

Fig. 37 is a side view showing a ratchet wheel shielding arrangement which functions to prevent operation of the pattern-chain when the machine is being used in pattern-knitting to form the leg portion with diamond patterns.

Fig. 38 is an edge elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 37. r

Fig. 39 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of the narrowing and widening operations performed by the machine during pattern knitting of the leg portion.

The needle cylinder and cam cylinder assembly The needle cylinder I (see Figs. 2, 3, and-'7) is provided with vertical grooves in which the needles Zare guided. One half of the needles are provided with relatively long butts 3, and the other half with relatively short butts 4. The needles are held in the grooves by the usual spring bands 5. The sinkers 1 are supported and guided by the usual sinker ring 8 secured to the needle cylinder and are operated by the sinker carnring 9.

The needle cylinder is removably supported in place within the cam cylinder In which carries the needle actuating devices hereinafter described. Cam cylinder I0 is mounted on base plate II by a supporting flange 12 held in a recess l3 by retaining ring 14.

The needle cylinder is supported on the inwardly directed flange l5 of a cup-ring l6 arranged within a cylindrical casing ll extending downwardly from base plate H. Pins 18 project upwardly from cup ring .fiange l5 into sockets is provided in the lower end of the needle cylinder and hold the latter against turning relative to the cup-ring.

The cup-ring is provided with lugs 20 extending outwardly through slots 2| in casing l1.

Springs 22 are interposed between the lugs 20 and the base plate H and serve to hold the cupin the lower portion of casing l l. The cup-ring is split so that it may be contracted into clamping engagement with the needle cylinder by a cup-ring contracting rod 24 equipped with a handle 25.

Adjusting ring 23 is'provided with spiral cam grooves 38 en aged by supporting rollers 29 (Figs. 3 and '7) mounted on casing H. An operating rod projects laterally from a plate 3| ad ustably secured to the bottom of adjusting ring 23. When rod 3!] is turned by hand or automatically the adjusting ring 23, cup-ring l6 and needle cylinder I are shifted vertically to vary the length of the stitches drawn by the needles.

Cam cylinder In (Figs. 2, 30 and B1) drives sinker cam ring 9 through the agency of a bracket which extends upwardly from the cam cylinder and engages adjustable abutments afiorded by screw rods 34 threaded through lugs 36 carried by the sinker cam ring.

The arm 3'! of a guard ring 38 is pivoted to the upper end of cam cylinder bracket 30'. Guard ring 38 is provided with a slotted thread-guide 39 in line with a slotted guide-eye 40 on arm 31.

Guard ring 38 also carries a vertically movable needle depressing plate 41 (Figs. 2, 29, x30 and 31) This plate is fastened to the lower ends of two supporting rods 42 having their upper ends curved outwardly over guard 38 and secured to the upper extremities of a pair of guide rods 43. ihe lower portions of guide rods 43 are guided in guide cylinders 44 secured to the outer surface of guard 38 and are normally urged upwardly by springs 45 interposed between the guide rods and the lower ends of the cylinders. The upper ends of guide rods 43 are connected by cross bar 46 which. provides a convenient handle means for depressing plate 4! against the resistance of springs 45. A stop 45a limits the upward movement of plate 4|.

The knitting cams Cam cylinder [0 is provided with a levelling rib on which the butts of the needles rest when the needles are in their lowermost position. This levelling rib (see Figs. 3, 9, 10, 29 and 32) consists of a vertically movable rib section 41 and two fixed rib sections 43 and 49. Rib section 41 extends around one-half the inner circumference of cam cylinder l0 and is provided, near its ends with lifting pins 41a extending outwardly through slots in the cam cylinder. Springs 4117 are connected to the pins 41a and to the cam cylinder retaining ring I4 and normally serve to yieldingly hold rib section 4'! down on a supporting ledge 53. When rib section 41 is resting on ledge 53 its upper surface is flush with the upper surfaces of rib sections 48 and 49 and its end edges are practically butted against the adjacent end edges of rib sections 48 and 49.

The remaining ends of rib sections 48 and (Figs. 9 and 10) are separated from each other by interposed knitting cam elements including bevelled cam plates 50 and an inverted v-shaped cam plate 5|. Fixed cam plates 52 and 53 are located above the bevelled ends 54 of 10am plates 50 and are provided with recesses 55 and 56 to receive the narrowing cams hereinafter referred to. Pivoted switch cams 51 and 58 are arranged at the outer sides of cam plates 55 and 56 and normally rest on the upper portions of the bevelled ends 54 of cam plates 50.

Fixed guard cams 59 and 60 are positioned above the switch cams 51 and 58 so that they overlie the outer side portions of cams 52 and 53.

An automatic pivoted switch cam BI is interposed between the cams 52 and 53 and lies beneath a guard cam 62.

When cam cylinder I8 is turning forwardly during either rotary or reciprocating knitting the previously described knitting cam elements are positioned as shown in Fig. 9 and the needle 4 butts travel over the earns 58 and 53 and under the cams 52 and 51, as indicated by dotted lines L. When the motion of the cam cylinder is reversed in reciprocating knitting the needle-butts travel over the cams 51 and 52 and under the cams 53 and 58.

Mechanism for throwing the needles into and out of operation during reciprocating heel and toe knitting When knitting plain stockings the cam cylinder is rotated during knitting of the leg and foot portions and is reciprocated during knitting of the heel and toe portions. About one-half of the needles (the long butt needles) are thrown out of action of the beginning of reciprocating heel and toe knitting and are returned to action when the reciprocating knitting is completed. This is accomplished through the agency of two oppositely inclined cams 64 and 65 working in slots in a portion of the cam cylinder located opposite the knitting cams. The cams 64 and 55 are carried by the free ends of spring arms 66 and 67 (Figs. 26 and 29) having their other ends secured to the outer surface of the cam cylinder. Cams 64 and 65 are normally held in a retracted position by spring arms 56 and 6? so that the inner faces of the cams are flush with the inner face of the cam cylinder.

At the beginning of reciprocating heel or toe knitting the throw-out cam 64 is projected inwardly beyond the inner face of the cam cylinder a limited distance so that it engages the butts 3 of the long butt needles I but does not engage the butts 4 of the short butt needles. In the operative or inwardly projected position of cam 64 the long butts 3 riding along the levelling rib (rib sections 41, 48 and 49) are caused to ascend the inclined face 64a of cam 64 and thus lift the long butt needles out of action, the short needle butts being permitted to continue along the levelling rib to the knitting cams.

At the completion of reciprocating heel or toe knitting the throw-out cam 64 is retracted to its normal inoperative position flush with the inner face of the cam cylinder and the throw-in cam is projected a sufficient distance inwardly beyond the inner face of the cam cylinder to engage the butts 3 and 4 of all the needles which are in the upper or non-knitting position. In the operative or inwardly projected position of cam 65 the long and short butts 3 and 4 of all the needles in the raised or non-knitting position are caused to descend along the inclined face 55a of cam 55 and are thus returned to action.

Narrowing and widening The fabric is narrowed during the first half of the reciprocating heel or toe knitting by gradually decreasing the number of active needles and is widened during the last half of the reciprocating knitting by gradually returning to action the needles rendered inactive during the narrowing operation. This is accomplished by the narrowing and widening mechanisms hereinafter described.

The narrowing mechanism Automatic narrowing cams 7E] and 'II (Figs. 9 to 15) project inwardly through a curved slot 12 in cam cylinder I0. This slot extends from recess 55 of knitting cam 52 to recess 56 of knitting cam 53. The intermediate portion of slot 1?. lies directly opposite guard cam 62.

The narrowing cams are slidably mounted in slotted bearings 73 provided at the upper corners of a triangular plate 14 located outside cam cylinder ID. The lower corner of plate 14 is pivoted, at 15, to a plate 16 carried by the cam cylinder. A spring TI is connected between'plate l6 and cam cylinder in to yieldingly hold said plate in either of the limit positions to which said plate is swingable about its pivotal axis.

Ashere shown each narrowing cam consists of a pin having a notched needle-engaging end which is long enough to pick up both the long and short needle butts when the cam is thrown into operation. Each narrowing cam is also provided with a projection 18 extending upwardlythrough a slot in the bearing 13 and into the cam groove 19 of a cam plate 80 secured to the outer face of the cam cylinder above slot 12.

During rotary knitting of the leg or foot portion of the stocking the narrowing cams are positioned as shown in Fig. 9 the narrowing cam 18 being positioned behind guard cam 62 and the narrowing cam H being positioned in the recess 55 of knitting cam 52. In this position, the narrowing cams are inoperative since they lie out of the path of the needle butts which are then travelling over the cams 58 and 53 and under the cams 52 and 51.

When changing from rotary to reciprocating heel or toe knitting the forward motion of cam cylinder is reversed and the previously mentioned cam 64 is projected into the cam cylinder to raise the long butt needles to a non-knitting position. During the initial reverse motion of the cam cylinder the pivoted switch cam 51 drops down into the underlying cam 58 so that the short needle butts are guided to travel over knitting cams and 52 and under the cams 53 and 58. As the first short needle butt travels over cam 52 it engages the notch in the inner end of narrowing cam H and causes triangular plate 14 to swing about its pivotal axis until the narrowing cam 19 is disposed in the recess 56 of knitting cam 53 and the narrowing cam II is transposed to the position behind guard cam 62 formerly occupied by narrowing cam 19. As the short needle butt engaging the cam ll follows the ascending motion of said cam it passes onto and over the guard cam 62 and is thus thrown out of operation. As cam H reaches guard cam 62 it is forced outwardly by the projection 18 working in cam groove 19 and is thus enabled to continue to its highest position behind cam guard 62. At the next reversal of the cam cylinder during recipro eating knitting the first short needle butt which engages narrowing cam Hi causes the narrowing cams to be returned to the position shown in Fig. 9 and, in so doing, is lifted out of action onto guard cam 62'. It will thus be seen that, through theaction of the narrowing cams, a short butt needle is thrown out of operation at each reversal of the cam cylinder during the narrowing operation of the reciprocating heel or toe knitting.

When the reciprocating knitting is completed the narrowing cam' H is left in the recess 55 of knitting cam 53 ready to begin the narrowing operation when the motion of the cam cylinder is again changed from rotary to reciprocating.

Widening mechanism Two widening cams 82 and 83 (Figs. 9, 10, 11', 13

v and 1'7 to 25 inclusive) project inwardly through Each widening cam consists" of a lug projecting into the cam cylinder from a slide 84 working in aguide groove 85 provided in the inner face of a pivoted cam carrier 86 located outside the cam cylinder and mounted to swing abouta pivot 81 which travels with the cam cylinder. Slide 84 is retained in groove 85 by a screw 88 working in a slot 89 in the outer face of the cam carrier. Slide 84 also carries a second stop screw 90 which works in slot in the under face of the cam carrier. Stop screw 98 is engaged by one end of a coiled spring 9! having its other end anchored to the cam carrier. This spring urges slide 8 1 and the attached widening cam outwardly along the groove 85 to an outer limit position at which the slide is stopped by engagement of stop screw 98 with the outer end of the slot in the under face of the cam carrier.

Cam carrier 86 is connected to one end of a spring 93 having its other end suitably anchored to the cam cylinder. This spring normally holds the cam carrier against a stop 94 carried by the cam cylinder. A pin 95 extends upwardly from the pivoted end of cam carrier 86 in position to be engaged by the bent end 96 of a slide 91 which works in a circumferential groove 98 in-the cam cylinder and is operated as hereinafter described.

During the fabric narrowing period of the reciprocating heel or toeknitting the strip 91. is positioned as shown in Fig. 25. In this position of slide 91 the bent end 96 is acting against pin 95 to hold cam carrier 86 in a downwardly swung position away from stop 94. The widening cams 82 and 83 are thus disposed in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 9, that is to say, the widening cams are disposed below thepath P of the butts of the needles which are in the raised or inactive position.

At the completion of the narrowing operation slide 91 is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 24. During this shifting of slide 91 the bent end 96 moves away from pin 95 and permits the spring 93 to swing cam carrier 86 upwardly against stop 94. This throws the narrowing cam on the slide 84 up into an operative position to be struck by the butts of the needles which were raised to an inactive position during the narrowing operation.

Each widening cam is formed with a vertical shoulder I00 and a horizontal projection ifll overhanging said shoulder. The projection |0l is made longenough to draw down two needle butts at each needle depressing operation of the widening cam.

When the widening cams are in their operative position and the cam cylinder is turning forwardly during reciprocating heel or toe knitting the butt of the needle thrown up in the preceding stroke together with the butt of the next adjacent needle pass under the horizontal projection l0! of widening cam 82 and act against the shoulder I00 to force said cam downwardly along the groove 85, to a position behind the knitting cam 60. The two underlying needle butts are carried downwardly by the projection Ifll and are caused to travel over the inclined end 6Ia (Fig. 9) of knitting cam 60 to a knitting position beneath said knitting cam. When the needle butts pass out of engagement with widening cam 82 the spring 9| acts to force cam 82 upwardly along groove and thus returns said cam to its operative needle-depressing position in the path of the inactive needle butts. When the motion of the forwardly travelling cam cylinder is reversed two needles are similarly engaged by 7 the widening cam 83 and delivered to a knitting position beneath knitting cam 59.

With the widening cams in operation during reciprocating heel or toe knitting it will be seen that, at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder, two inactive needles are drawn down into action by one of the widening cams while one needle is being raised out of action by one of the narrowing cams. The number of active needles is thus increased by one at each reciprocation of the cam cylinder to widen the fabric.

The foregoing description of the various needle actuating devices carried by the cam cylinder covers the sequential functioning of said devices during full automatic operation of the knitting machine in the production of stockings in which the leg portion of the stocking is formed by rotary knitting and without ornamental pattern effects.

Mechanism for controlling throw-oat cam 64 and throw-in cam 65 during fully automatic k'nitting of stockings in which the leg portion is formed by rotary knitting without ornamental pattern effects An operating cam I02 which acts against throw-out cam 64 and a second operating cam I03 which acts against throw-in cam 65 are rotatably mounted on a post I04 carried by cam cylinder I0. Cams I02 and I03 are integrally joined together and are secured to an underlying ratchet I05 also rotatably mounted onpost I04. Ratchet. I05 is periodically operated by a pawl I06 which is normally positioned above the path through which the ratchet travels when moving with thecam cylinder.

Pawl I06 (Fig. 2) is adjustably mounted on the upper end of alpin: I01 with the ratchet engaging end of the pawl directed-toward the cam cylinder. Pin I01 slides in a vertical slotted bearing I08 carried by the machine frame; A spring I09 is arranged in the lower portion of bearing I08 and normally holds pin I01 in an elevated position in which the ratchet engaging end of pawl I06 is disposed above the ratchet. Pin I01 carries a screw llfl'workin'g in a vertical slot in bearing I08. The shank of screw I I is engaged in a slot III' in the free end of a forwardly extending lever arm II2 secured to a shaft II3. A second lever arm II4 extends rearwardly from'shaft I I3 and is provided at its free end with a roller lI4a which rides the periphery of a rotary cam disk H in the path of a series of cams II6 (Fig. 6) carried by thedisk. Each time a cam I I6 passes beneath roller I I4a the pin I01 is depressed to lowerpawl I06 to a ratchet operating position in the path of ratchet I05. As soon as the operating cam I I6 passes out of engagement with roller 441 the 'pawl I06 is returned to its normal inoperative position by spring.

The first operation of ratchet I05 by pawl I06 advances the ratchet the distance of one tooth and causes cam I02 to project throw-out cam 64 into the cam cylinder to'throw out of action the long butt needles which are not used in the reciprocating knitting of the heel and toe. I

A second operation of ratchet I05" by pawl I06 occurs when thenarrowing operation of the automatic reciprocating knitting is completed and causes the widening cams to be thrown into operation by ratchet controlled mechanism here'- inafter referred to. During this second operation of the ratchet the cam I02 is turned to permit cam 64 to be returned to its incperative'position by spring arm 66.

A third operation of ratchet I05 by awl I06 occurs at the end of the widening operation as the motion of the cam cycle is changed from reciprocating to rotary. This third operation of the ratchet causes cam I03 to project the throw-in arm 65 into the cam cylinder to return to action the long butt needles together with any of the shortbutt needles which are in a raised non-knitting position at the end of the widening operation.

As the motion of the cam cylinder changes from reciprocating to rotary the third operation of ratchet I05 is immediately followed by a fourth operation which causes cam I03 to be turned to a position permitting return of throw-in cam 65 to inoperative position by spring arm 61. This fourth operation of the ratchet also results in the widening cams being thrown out of operation as hereinafter described.

Ratchet controlled mechanism for operating widening cams A pair of superimposed cam disks I I8 (Figs. 17 to 20) are mounted on top of cam I02 and are suitably secured to turn with said cam in response to operation of ratchet I05. Each cam disk II8 is provided with a segmental rib H9. The lower cam disk II8 rests directly on the top of cam I02 and the upper cam disk II8 rests directly on the rib II9 of the lower disk. These cam disks II 8 operate uppper and lower cam straps I20 which are attached to the adjacent ends of the two widening cam operating slides 91. The lower cam strap I20 is fitted between the two cam disks I I8 and is provided with an opening I 2| in which the rib II9 of the lower cam disk operates. The upper cam strap I20 is supported on the upper cam disk I I8 and is provided with an opening I2I' in which the rib II9 of the upper cam disk operates. A retaining washer I23 overlies the upper cam disk and is held in place by a nut I24 on the upper end of post I04.

The opening I2I of each cam strap I20 is shaped to provide diametrically opposite inwardlydirected projections I25 and I26. The ribs II9 of cam disks II8 are normally engaged with the projection I25 of cam straps I20 and serve to hold the slides 91 in the position shown in Fig. 25. In this position of slides 91 the widening cams are held out of action by the bent ends 96 of the slides. When cam disks II8 are through half a revolution the cam disk ribs I I9 engage the projections I 26 of the cam straps and shift the slides 91 to the position shown in Fig. 24, thus permitting the widening cams to be thrown into operation by the springs 93.

As previously indicated the shifting of the slides 91 to throw the widening cams into operation takes place during the second operation of ratchet I05 which occurs at the end of the narrowing operation. The subsequent reverse shifting of slides 91 to permit the widening cams to be thrown out of operation by springs 93 takes place during the fourth operation of ratchet I05 as the motion of cam cylinder I0 is changed from reciprocating to rotary. 1

Motion changing mechanism The mechanism for changing the motion of cam cylinder I0 from rotary to reciprocating and vice versa includes a gear I29 (Fig. 3) secured to cam cylinder I0 and meshing with a gear I 30 securing to the upper end of a vertical clutch shaft I3I' journalled in suitable bearings I32. An oscillating pinion I33 is loosely mounted on the upper stud I63a carried by the frame. of lever I63 is bifurcated to provide upper and 9. portion of clutch shaft I3I beneath gear I and is driven by rack teeth I34 formed on a reciprocating rack bar I35. A collar I36 is secured to pinion I33 and is provided with a flange I38 engaging a supporting plate I39. The rack portion of rack bar I is guided and held in operative relation to pinion I33 by a vertical portion of plate I39 which is attached to the upper clutch shaft bearing I32. An intermediate portion of rack bar I35 is provided with a transverse slot I40 (Fig. 2). A crank pin I4I carried by a spur gear I42 secured to main drive shaft I 43 works in slot I40 and serves to impart the reciprocating movement to the rack bar. The portion of the rack bar which extends rearwardly from slot I40 is guided by upper and lower guide rolls I44. A bevel gear I45 (Figs. 2 and 3) is loosely mounted on the lower portion of clutch shaft I3I in mesh with a bevel gear I48 formed on a spur gear I41 which is directly driven by the spur gear I42 on main drive shaft I43. Gear I41 is secured to the inner end of a horizontal shaft I48 .iournalled in a suitable bearing I49. An operating crank I50 is detachably secured to the outer end of shaft I48 to provide for manual operation of said shaft.

A clutch I52 is slidably keyed to clutch shaft I3I between pinion I33 and bevel gear I45. This clutch is provided with an annular groove I53 and two spring projected pins I54 and I55.

Pin I54 projects above the clutch and enters a pin hole I56 in the collar I36 of oscillating pinion I33 when the clutch is shifted to its uppermost position to change the motion of the cam cylinder from rotary to reciprocating. Pin I nro- .iects below the clutch and enters a pin hole I51 in bevel gear I45 when the clutch is shifted to its lowermost position to change the motion of the cam cylinder from reciprocating to rotary.

Clutch I52 is shifted on clutch shaft I3I by a clutch shifting arm I59 having a forked'end I60 fitted in the clutch groove I53. The other end of arm I59 is secured to the intermediate portion of a vertical slide rod I6I having its ends slidably fitted in suitable bearings I62.

The lower portion of slide rod I6I is secured, by collar I64 (Figs. 3 and 7) and pivot screw I65, to the forward end of a cam-actuated clutchshifting lever I63 intermediately pivoted on a The rear end lower cam engaging arms I65 and I66 (Fig. 4) which straddle the main drive shaft I43 and are relatively offset to lie in different vertical planes. These arms I65 and I66 are alternately en aged by a shiftable cam I61 slidably keyed to main driving shaft I43.

A spring I68 normally holds cam I61 in the position shown in Fig. 4. In this position cam I61 acts against arm I65 of clutch shifting lever I63 to depress the front end of said lever and thereby shift clutch I52 downwardly to establish a drive connection between clutch shaft I3I and the continuously rotating bevel gear I45.

The motion of the cam cylinder is changed from rotary to reciprocating by shifting cam I61 to the left from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position in which the cam acts against the arm I66 of clutch shifting lever I63 to raise the front end of said lever and thereby shift clutch I52 upwardly to establish a drive connection between clutch shaft I3I and oscillating pinion I33. The cam I61 is provided with two clutch-shift ing projection as shown in Fig. '1 and is shifted at a time, when these projections are positioned to pass under the arm I65 or over the arm I 66.

' A cam shifting yoke I10 (Figs. 4 and 6) is fitted in' groove I1I of cam I61 and is pivotally secured by pivot screw I12 to the lower portion of a lever I13. This lever I13 is intermediately pivoted to a stud I14 and is provided at its upper end with a roller I14a which is positioned in the path of a cam lift I15 projecting from one side of the previously mentioned cam disk II 5. When cam lift I15 passes under roller I94a the lever I13 is actuated to shift clutch controlling earn I 61 to the left against the resistance of spring I68.

Speed changing mechanism The cam cylinder is rotated at a relatively high speed during rotary knitting and at a slower speed during reciprocating knitting. The speed changing mechanism provided for this purpose includes a gear I11 (Fig. l) secured to the end of main shaft I43 remotefrom gear I42. Gear I11 is directly driven by a pinion I18 formed on the hub I19 of a pulley I which revolves on a stationary shaft I8I carried by the frame. Pulley I88 is positioned between an outside idler pulley I82, rotatably mounted on shaft I8I and an inside idler pulley I83 rotatably mounted on the hub of pulley I80.

Pulley I80 is driven by a fast belt I84 (Fig. 8) during rotary knitting and by a slow belt I85 during reciprocating knitting. When the fast belt I84 is on pulley I80 during rotary knitting the slow belt I85 is on idler pulley I83. When the slow belt I85 is on pulley I80 during reciproeating knitting the fast belt I84 is on idler pulley I82. The machine is stopped by shifting the active belt onto its idler pulley. Belt I84 is shifted by the forked end or fork I81 of a belt shifting slide or shifter I88 and belt I85 is shifted by the forked end or fork I89 of a second belt shifting slide or shifter I90. The two belt shifting slides or shifters I88 and I90 are connected by a spring I9! which tends to throw shifter I88 to the left and shifter I90 to the right. Shifter I88 carries a latch I92, pivoted at I92a and having a shoulder I93 engaging an abutment afforded by a pin I94 which is carried by shifter I90 and projects through a slot I95 in shifter I88. When latch I92 is engaged with pin I94 the spring I9I is under tension and the two belt shifters are connected so that they move together with the forks I81 and I89 so that one of the belts I84 or I85 is on the pulley I80 and the other is on its loose pulley. When latch I92 is disengaged from' its loose pulley without shifting the idler belt. Shifter I88 is provided with a stop I 91 for limiting its movement towards the left, and shifter I98 is provided with a boss I98 for limiting its movement to the right.

The connected shifters I88 and I90 are moved toward the right by a spring 20I connected to shifter I88 and to the frame of the machine. The connected shifters are moved to the left against the tension of spring 20I by a cam 202 (Figs. 5 and 6) carried by cam disk H5 and arranged to act against the upper end of a lever 204 pivoted on the stud I14 and having its lower end connected with the shifter I90. With this construction of mechanism for operating the shifters the shifter I90 is held by the cam in its left hand position-and would not be shifted to 1 l the right by spring I9l when the shifters are disconnected unless the connections between the cam and shifter were broken. The end of lever 204 is therefore preferably connected to the shifter I90 by a latch 206, (Figs. 4 and 5) pivoted at 201 to the shifter I90 and having a shoulder 208 arranged to engage a pin 209 on the end of lever 204. The latches I92 and 206 are preferably connected by a pin 2 I I, projecting from latch I92 through a slot 2 I2 in latch 206 so that said latches may be simultaneously lifted to disconnect the shifters and break the connections with the operating cam. The latches in the construction shown are connected by a rod 2I4 with a frame 2I5 (Figs. 4, 5, and 33), pivoted on the hub of a pawl-carrier to be described, which in turn is pivoted on a stud 2 I6 secured in the framaFig. 4. The frame 2| 5 normally rests against a stop 2 I1, Fig. 6, and is provided with a laterally projecting rod 2 I 8, forming a handle by which said frame may be rocked to lift the latches and stop the machine. The frame 2I5 may be automatically rocked to stop the machine by means of an arm or lever 2I9 loosely pivoted on a shaft 220, mounted in said frame, said arm extending forward and resting upon a pattern-chain 22 I, Figs. 33 and 35. The arm 219 is provided with a shoulder 222 near its forward end, which is so arranged that when the arm is raised by a lug 223 on the pattern-chain said shoulder is brought into the path of a reciprocating pawl 225, which draws said arm forward thus rocking frame 2I5 and stopping the machine. The machine may be started by a lever 226 (Figs. 5 and '1), pivoted at 225a and having a handle 221 at the front of the machine and having its rear end passing through slots 228 and 229 in the shifters I90 and I88, respectively.

Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 8, which is the position they would occupy when the machine is stopped on rotary knitting, then by swinging the front end of lever 226 to the left the rear end of said lever will be caused to act against the right end of slot 229 and move shifter I88 to the right, carrying the fast belt I84 onto pulley I80 and bringing latch I92 into engagement with pin I94. If the machine is stopped when the slow belt I85 is on pulley I80 in which case the lower end of lever 204 will be in the dotted line position, Fig. 8, then by swinging the front end of lever 226 to the right the rear end is caused to engage the left end of slot 228 and force shifter I90 to the left and engaging latch I92 and also bringing latch 206 into position to engage lever 204. When the machine is in condition for reciprocating knitting, the fast belt should not be shifted onto the driving pulley and means are therefore provided for preventing such movement of the fast belt. This means preferably consists of a stop carried by the lever which controls the position of the clutch, which stop is arranged to prevent the movement of the rear end of the lever toward the right when the clutch is in engagement with the oscillating pinion. This stop is formed by'the end of a slot 23I (Fig. 4) formed in an arm 232 secured to the end of lever I 13 through which slot the lever 226 passes.

The cam or controller disk H5, which carries the cams for controlling the speed and motion changing mechanisms, and the cams for controlling the operation of the needles, is mounted on the stud 2 I6 and is driven by the action of a reciprocating pawl 2-34 arranged to engage ratchet teeth formed on said disk. In the machin 5- trated the disk is provided with twelve teeth, Fig. 34, every fourth one of which is a long tooth, forming a dwell on which the operating pawl rides idly until the disk is advanced far enough to allow the pawl 234 to engage said tooth. The disk is given this advance movement -at the proper times by pins or projections 236, carried by the pattern-chain and arranged to engage abutments on the cam-disk, said disk having three such abutments corresponding to the number of long teeth or dwells thereon. These abutments are preferably formed by arms or levers 231, pivoted to the disk H5 and arranged to engage a cam 238 which is mounted in a ring 239, secured to the stud 2I5. The cam 238 is so arranged that the arm 231, corresponding with the teeth on which the pawl 234 is working, is held up in the path of the projection 236 on the chain 22I. The other arms are held against the ring 239 by springs 24I so that they cannot strike-any succeeding projection 23S and feed the patternchain forward improperly. The outward swing of the arms is limited by pins 243. When a projection 236 strikes the arm 231, which rests on the cam 238, the disk 5 is advanced so that the long tooth is engaged by pawl 234 and the disk H5 is then advanced step by step until the next long tooth is brought under the pawl. The disk now remains at rest until another projection 236 on the chain again starts the disk, when it is again fed forward a third of a revolution. In order that the pattern-chain may be run backward when desired without the inconvenience of lifting each of the projections 236 over the arm 231, which is on the cam 238, said cam is held yieldingly in position, so that it may yield when a projection 235 strikes the back of an arm 231 and allow said projection to pass said arm. As shown, the cam 238 is formed on a plunger mounted in the ring 239 and supported by a spring 245.

The pattern-chain 22I passes over a spocket wheel 241, mounted on stud 2I6, and said chain is fed forward by a pawl 248, which engages a ratchet wheel 249, formed on said sprocket-wheel. The pawl 248 is mounted in a pawl-carrier 250, mounted upon the stud 2I6. The pawl-carrier is oscillated continuously by an eccentric 25I secured-to the shaft I43 and carrying an eccentricstrap 252, the other end of which is pivoted to the lower end of the pawl-carrier, Fig. 33. The pawl 248 is mounted to slide vertically in the pawl-carrier, being guided by a screw 254, working in a slot 255. For the greater part of its travel the pawl rides on a shiftable shield 251, (Figs. 4, 3'1 and 38) adjustably mounted on a .plate 258, secured to stud ZIG, the travel of the pawl beyond the end of the shield being just sufficient to advance the ratchet one tooth. The pawl-carrier 250 also carries the pawls 225 and 234 which are mounted in a similar manner to pawl 248.

General plain knitting operation The general operation of the machine during plain knitting is as follows: During rotary knitting the parts are in the position shown, with the exception that the belt-shifters are locked together and the fast belt is on the pulley. When the machine is to pass onto the heel or toe, one of the pins 236 on the pattern-chain strikes an arm 231 and starts the disk H5, bringing the long tooth into position to be engaged by the pawl 234. The disk is now fed forward four teeth. During the first forward movement the cam 0 hifts the slow belt onto the pulley I80, 

